Asparagus has been used as a medicinal food/herb since before the time of Christ; even its botanical name points to this, Asparagus officinalis.Officinalis is given in acknowledgment to its “official” use as a therapeutic herb. This highly sought after and valued herb is native to both European and Asian cultures; and this is shown in many texts based on botany and herbal medicine findings throughout the regions.

Asparagus is most well known for its specific action on all of the urinary system (kidneys and bladder), the most well known being:

You see the beauty of natural medicine is all in the synergism of all the chemicals in the plant, nature has been running its own “clinical trials” for the past few billion years, and has come up with the best combination of chemicals to help those that walk the earth. And the beautiful part is that once ingested, the body gets to choose which natural chemicals it needs – as opposed to being forced in one direction (i.e. western drugs). Check out this video called The Orderly Chaos of Nature for more information on how plants give man ‘selective’ therapeutic qualities.

Another important factor that this plant “brings to the table” (pardon the pun), is that it is highly alkaline. Now if you have read any of my stuff before you’ll know just how important it is to alkalise your body when you have kidney disease (any other chronic condition for that matter). Asparagus does this so well that it is even used in some cancer therapies just for that! It’s the high ammonia content that is working that here.It’s Not All Happy Days

Surprisingly, and a question that I often get in relation to, asparagus contains high amounts of potassium and phosphorus. Now most of you will have already been told by your doctor that potassium, phosphorus, protein, and sodium all need to be reduced when suffering from kidney disease. This is because in some individuals the kidneys struggle to eliminate them. The important part to emphasise here is that only some people have this problem… How do you know if you are one of those people? Well, when you have your next blood test, ask your doctor if your potassium and phosphorus levels are in the normal range. If they are in the normal range you may consume them without much restriction, and if they are high… you may in fact still consume them. Confused?

I am not surprised if you are. You see just because you have a condition that requires certain nutrients to be limited (key word being ‘limited’), does not mean you need to avoid all foods that contain a moderate or high level of these minerals.

Everything In Moderation

We all know that a healthy diet is the key to your health. So could you imagine your health if all you did was eat low nutrient dense foods – Breads, pasta, sugar foods, biscuits, etc? In fact maybe that’s what contributed to your health in the first place?

Could you imagine what your health would be like is you instead ate a broad range of fruits, vegetables, whole foods, nuts, seeds, whole grains, etc., though watched your total intake of potassium, phosphorus, protein and sodium for the day?

I am guessing you would be 1000X better in health and vitality. And the reason is simple, for all the reasons to watch your intake, there are 100 more reasons of why you should be having them. You need to use common sense, and a large helping of moderation.

Take Banana’s for example… you would have probably been told these are enemy number one for kidney problems due to their potassium levels, but did you know they are actually beneficial for the kidneys too?

It’s Easy With Tools

Don’t let fear replace common sense: have a well balance diet, but make sure you track your intake of potassium, phosphorus, protein, and sodium. Here is a great tool to help you on your way: http://nutritiondata.self.com/

Simply enter in the food item, and it will tell you exactly what nutrient, and at what levels, are found within each food. Have fun!

To wrap up, the best way to make Asparagus a part of your day is to cook up some asparagus, blend them to a puree, and store in a sealed container within the fridge (store for no longer than 4-5 days, otherwise the puree will go off). Each day take 4 full tablespoons, twice a day for therapeutic benefit – fresh is ALWAYS best, though you may use canned asparagus when short for time. You may also dilute this is a little bit of water to reduce the intensity. And of course you may alternatively eat whole asparagus as part of a meal.

About the Author: Hello, my name is Duncan Capicchiano, I am the owner and creator of KidneyCoach.com. My professional background is Naturopathy, and I am also an International Author and Researcher that specialises in the treatment and management of kidney disease. My most famous work in kidney disease is The Kidney Disease Solution Program.
Lastly - but most importantly - I am the loving "father" of my two dogs Ruby and Pebbles, my horse Cossie, and husband to my beautiful wife, Fiona.

Comments (7)

Other article say to avoid meat, tea, sodium, and asparagus since those substances increase uric acid (oxalate) which can also be a cause of kidney disease. I would think that the foods you propose should be taken for only certain types of kidney disease, since the various preventions depend on the type of kidney disease. Taking the wrong preventive measures could actually worsen the problem.

Thanks for your comment. Yes it is true that not all foods will be suitable to all people, but in the matter of ‘typical’ kidney disease, asparagus is very beneficial. You have indicated that uric acid and oxalates are the same “uric acid (oxalate)” but in fact they are very different. Oxalates are simple molecules found is foods that can cause conditions such as pain and kidney stones, and uric acid is primarily produced by the breakdown of foods that contain purines, causing conditions such as gout.

Asparagus does contain oxalates, but only at a moderate level; unlike meats, rhubarb, spinach, coffee and tea that all contain high levels. Moderate containing oxalate foods can be consumed everyday – even when suffering from kidney stones.

I have read several of your articles tonight and found them very informative. I do have a question regarding this article on Asparagus: I am under the impression that cooked vegetable lose most, if not all of their nutritional value when cooked. You didn’t mention eating raw Asparagus, so I am wondering if you don’t recommend eating raw Asparagus. If you do recommend eating raw Asparagus, what are the recommended quantities?

Thank you! Cooking Asparagus is fine (steaming is best), it does reduce a small amount of the qualities, but is still very much recommended. As for raw asparagus? Go for your life!
I just recommend not eating the woody lower ends of the plant. You can thinkly slice and have it by it self, have it in a salad, or put it in a juicer.

Well, technically asparagus is a medium or high potassium food based on how much you eat. It is definitely not a low potassium food, so I erred on the side of caution. Maybe a better term is “potassium rich” food?

I say it is a medium or high potassium food purely based on the numbers. Based on two different sources (see below), potassium is said to have roughly 200mg of potassium per 1/2 a cup cooked asparagus (which would be the average consumption). Vegetables are classified into the following potassium categories:
Low potassium= < 125mg
Medium potassium= 126 to 250mg
High potassium= > 251mg

Therefore based on this grouping, asparagus is on the upper end of “medium”. But of course, if you are eating certain dishes that require lots of asparagus, you will be easily tipped over into the high potassium group. I hope that makes sense.